Hydraulic coupling



Patented Dec. 1, 1936 I, i,

UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE Noah L. Alison, Detroit, Mich, assignor 'to American Blower Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application March 18, 1935, Serial No. 11,551

10 Claims. (0|. -54) My invention relates to hydraulic couplings.

It is my object to provide a self-pumping hy draulic coupling.

Itis an object to provide a coupling in which the rotation of the coupling itself serves to cause the fluid to flow to and from the coupling; and;

pling serves the multiple purpose of a guide andpumping chamber, a'reservoirfor the fluid in the coupling, and for enclosing the rotative parts of the coupling. a

It is my object to eliminate pumps, scoops, delivery tubes in the coupling, and core ringsfor handling fluid inthe coupling.

It is my-object to use the movement "of the coupling itself for causing the flow of fluid through the coupling sothat, by regulating the quantity of fluid so flowing, the relationship between the driving and driven member may be controlled.

Hereto'fore, couplings of this character have been unenclosed so that they must have some special .form of protection to prevent injury to the operator, such as the use 'of a wire screen, or the like. It has also been necessary to have and H whicnmerge to form a semi-annular channel l2 for receptionv of the fluid-actuating blade l3 acting as a pumping plate. This channel is continued as a circular channel by thesemi-circular channel H in the cover l5 which hasthe semi-circular side walls l6 and I! in con- Thus, a complete annular enclosure is provided for the rotating parts of the coupling. The

shafts of the coupling are retained in position by the upper halves of the bearings designated l8 and I9 which cooperate with the lower halves I and 6. The lower portion of the casing for the rotating parts, which is located within the base, forms with the walls of the base a fluid reservoir tion with a piping system which conveys fluid from and to the coupling. The pipe 2| removes .which mayeither discharge it through the port special reservoirs, pumps and similar mecha- Figure 3 is a side elevation partially in section;

Figure 4 is a section on the line' 4-4 of Figure Figure 5 is aside elevation with the casing in section and one-half of the coupling removed looking in the direction of the arrows on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; I

Figure 6 is a section similar to Figure 4 showing a modified form of shape of the i'nterior oi. the coupling.

Referring to the drawings in detailrl is the base of a housing that constitutes the enclosure for the rotating parts oi the'coupling, and also acts as areservoir for the liquid received from the coupling and returned to the coupling. The lower half of this casing consists of the base I and the side walls 2, 3, 4 and 5. The upper -1narinsof the walls 2 and 3 provide bearings 6 and I tor the respective shafts 9 and 8.

The lower half of the 'base is provided with a semi-circular chamber havingth'e side walls in 24 into the reservoir 20 or discharge it through the pipe 25 to the bottom of the annular chamber designated I2 where it is delivered tangentially of' the rotating plate li-and the rotating parts of the coupling.

The deliveryto the coupling as -above described is the second direction of delivery.

The third direction of delivery isto return the fluid through the pipe 26 into the passageway 21 and thence through the port 28 into the interior of the couplingbetween the respective tinuation of the walls H and H! of the base.

halves 29 and 30 of the coupling. These halves of the coupling are free to move with respect to one another as they are mounted on the respective shafts 9 and 8. They are spacedfrom one another to form interior passagewaysii and exterior passageways -32.- The fluid from the passageway 21 may pass through the passageway 3| into the interior of the coupling.

The respective halves 29 and 30 of the coupling relatively slight obstruction to normal circulation of theliquid but to impede-the circulation o1' a shallow high'velocity liquid vortex.

The coupling half 30 is provided with acom are provided with a plurality of radial vanes 33 A'circular rib, semi-circular in sec-' panion member 38 which encloses but is spaced from the coupling'half 29. This half is provided with' a port 39 through which'the liquid passes from the passageway 32 and thence into the annudesignated 20. This reservoir is in communica 2' lar passageway l2, l 4. Between the half 38 and member 38 is embraced the fluid-actuating disk l3 which extends into the annual chamber formed by the channel halves l2 and I4. The

the liquid is passing in a rotative path as indicated by the arrows between the vanes 34 and 33 from the driving and driven member, the driving and driven members will turn substantially 5 bolts l3a' retain the members 38, 38, and 13 totogether as a unit and, as this full condition is 5 gether. The inner margin of the coupling memdeparted from, the relationship between the drivber 38 has a bearing sleeve 40 engaging with the 7 ing and'drivenmembers issaecordingly modified. bearing sleeve 4| of the coupling half 29. The. speed of the member, of course,

I The coupling half 30 is provided witha sleeve regula esthe e n -0 the P mp i n. both by V 38a for the mounting of it upon the shaft 8. The reason of the centrifugal d y 0f the fluid and 10 sleeve 30a is provided with an oil-obstructing ring the action of the liquid discha ge e s, Su -8 3017 so that any surplus oil may be discharged the disk l3. h into the collecting chamber 4 2 and thus returned, I Referring to the d fi form Shown in 8- by the ports 43 into the space 44 between the case t e dam 0 ar e 3 y be mina d ing for the'rotating parts and the rotating parts, and the interior cross section of the members 33 15 .whence the leakage returns directly into the and 29 fl modification 0f e system This arrangement eliminates the necesie cross-Section m y be Such aStO accomplish sity for castings for the rotating parts that are substantially the m P p Of the barrier impervious to the passage offiuid because any This accomplishes the result of e ulatin the slight leakage through th returns immediately rotative movement of the fluid from half of the 20 to the system and is so immaterial as not to affect coupling 1 t0 the Other at certain Sp ed n J the operation of the coupling. By the arrangeorder to understand the operation and regulation mentor my invention; I am, therefore, able to do of this coupling, it is necessary to have a way with one of the problems in hydra li c011. thorough understanding of the various functions plj g of leakage and the efle t upon t mechaof valve 23. This valve is what is commonly 25 m 7 known as a 2-way valve, that is, it operates in The shaftflhas an oil-obstructing ring 9a which two different Positions and each Position P likewise discharges into a collecting chamber 46 duceea Certain result- The inner cylinder f the that communicates through the port 41 with thevalve which rotates about a axis t u its space M. v center, contains a cored passage through the h operation 1 cylinder at right angles to its axis. The differe ent positions of this cored passage through the h purpose of a coupling of thls character cylinder as accomplished by rotating the cylinder to regulate the relation between the driving and on its axis, determines Which one of its two 5' driven members. Assuming that the shaft 8 is functions this valve will erfon as f llb dflving shaftand assuming the direction of (a) The cylinder rotated until the cored opentation is that indicated by the arrows on the drawing is m a horizontal position, connects reservoir ings, the relative movement between the shafts 8 20 through pipe 25 into annular chamber z and 8'and their respective parts will be determined This position fins the coupling with oil, Which is 440 by the quantity of fluid in. the coupling and the accomplished by the passing of oil through regulation of the How of the fluid t0 and from the sages 2 25 21 and 2 n is used. for coupling, v creasing the speed.

Assuming the three-Way Valve 23 i adjusted to (b) By revolving this valve cylinder through close off the-pipe 22, then the fluid-actuating disk 90 degrees mm the col-ed opening is in a Vern.

I W discharge h i from the annular-11811 cal. position, the valve then connects pipe 22 into 45 ml l2 and II which has been delivered thereto e' b chamber gm Thisposifion of the valve through the passageways 39 by centrifugal force. is used to remove oil f m the working circuit This discharge will take Place thmugh. the Pipe of the coupling and deposit it in reservoir 20. 2| thence through the passageway21 and thence- Y pin-pose f coupling f s character is e coupling thmugh the passageways and tof control the relation of speed between the 50 3|; driven members and this relation in the valve 23 is shown in the drawings, spe'edjs controlled by the amount of oil in the then the liquid from the pipe 22 willdischarge inh flhgq m of the couphng a mule 19561701? and th i m be drained 3 Assume the driving member 38 operating at a its fluid! If h valve 23 is t0 cut ofithe constant and the driven member 29 sta- ,55 P it andtorut the reservoir in commumcee tionary with no oil in the working circuit of the with the P p 5- n the fluidwill be drawn coupling but with reservoir 2. filled with oil and from the reservoir by the action of the disk 13' valve 13 1;; position shown in Figure 4 e e o a h l and member Now rotate valve 3 so that the cored opening to Himself-contained coupling uses its rotating is in horizontalposi tion (o) and oil will enter so p rts for disc arging t e flui from the n s through pipe 2t into chamber l2 and be rotated andreturning the fluid t0 the coupling without b d .[3 and discharged through pipes 2 and an? lp'ccial outside pumpi mechanism. 2, and passages 21, 2a and 3| into the working 1 fl w will. be in proportion to the circuit. As soon asoil begins to enter the work- 35 speed .of rotation. The disk l3 may be of any t, the dnven member will begin to .this discharge and pumping action takes place.

' fiesirod form and the exterior of the members 3| rotate and accelerate as long as valve 23 is in this and 38' may be of any desired form so long as position until the desired speed relation between the driving-member 38 and the driven member 28 is obtained. At this point valve 3 is closed,. and this speed relation will be maintained until a' change inspeed-is desired. If it is desired to increase or decrease the speed of the driven half this can-be accomplished by simply placing valve in either position (b) or Tlie'rotating parts are completely enclosed and,

. thprefore, present no danger to the operator. The v mechanism provides a unitary structure which {may be supplied as a separate piece of merchandise that can be attached to the driving and driven mechanism.

When the coupling is filled with liquid and sition (alas above described and'holdinglt working circuit members 29 and 30. This is for the purpose of eliminating thrust. between the The passage driving and driven members. shown in dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 6 leading from the center of the semi-circular rib 35 to the center ofthe driven shaft 9, is for the purpose of allowing the air to flow out of or into the working circuit as oil is added to or taken from this circuit.

It will be understood that this coupling can rotate in either direction. The particular shape and form of the casing, of the coupling parts,

of the fluid-moving'disk l3, and the relationship I of the reservoir may be modified without departing from my invention. The arrangement of piping, the arrangement of valves, and other details of construction may be adjusted to suit the convenience of the user of my invention.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my-invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a hydraulic coupling apparatus, the com-' bination of a casing having an annular restricted pumping chamber with an outlet therefrom and a main chamber, a hydraulic coupling rotatable in the main chamber, said coupling having a pemeans for returning the fluid discharged from' the periphery of the coupling into the pumping chamber from the pumping chamber to the interior of the coupling centrally thereof.

3. In a hydrauliccoupling apparatus, the combination of a casing having an annular restricted pumping chamber with an outlet therefrom and a main chamber, a hydraulic coupling rotatable in the main chamber, said coupling having a pcripheral outlet, a pumping means peripherally mounted on said coupling and extending from the main chamber into the pumping chamber, and

means for returning the fluid discharged from the periphery of the coupling into the pumping chamber from the pumping chamber to the interior of the coupling centrally thereof com-'- prising an unrestricted passageway.

4. In a hydraulic coupling apparatusythe combination of a casing having an. annular restricted pumping chamber with an outlet therefrom and a main chamber, a hydraulic coupling rotatable in the main chamber, said coupling having a peripheral outlet, a pumping means peripherally mounted on saidcoupling and extending from the main chamber into the pumping chamber, means for returning the fluid discharged from the periphery of the coupling into the pumping chamber from the pumping chamber to the interior of the coupling centrally thereof comprising an unrestricted passageway, a tank enclosing the casing at least partially, means for conveying the fluid from the pumping chamber optionally to said tank, means for conveying the fluid from the tank back to the casing, and valve means for controlling the direction of the fluid.

5. In combination, in a hydraulic coupling apparatus, of a casing, a groove therein, a conpling rotatably mounted within said casing, a

plate mounted on the periphery of said coupling extending into said groove to pump fluid from-the coupling, and means in the periphery of the coupling for discharging fluid "adjacent said plate.

6. In a hydraulic coupling apparatus, the combination; of a casing having an annular pumping chamber, a hydraulic coupling rotatably mounted-in said casing, a plate on the exterior of said coupling, said. plate extending into said pumping chamber, and a permanently open pipe connecting the pumping chamber adjacent the pe riphery of the coupling to the interior of the coupling adjacent the centerrof the coupling.

7. In combination in a hydraulic coupling apparatus, of a casing having an annular pumping chamber, a hydraulic coupling rotatably mounted in said casing, a plate on the exteriorv of said coupling, said plate extending into said pumping chamber, said coupling having a permanently open means in the periphery thereof for the exit of fluid therefrom into the pumping chamber, and means for conveying by a permanently open unrestricted'passageway fluid from means to deliver fluid direct from the storage tank to said casing, means to remove fluid from the casing and deliver it either direct to the tank or to the center and interior of the coupling, and

valve means for controlling the direction in which the fluid is directed.

9. .In a hydraulic coupling apparatus, a storage tank, a casing at least partially therein, a hydraul'ic coupling rotatable within said casing having means for the peripheral delivery of fluid from the coupling into the casing, means of removing by an unrestricted passageway fluid from the casing back to the center and interior of the coupling, means to deliver said fluid alternatively to the storage tank and from the storage tank-to the casing, and a multiplepositioned valve adapted to control the movement of the fluid.

10. In a hydraulic coupling apparatus, the combination of a casing having a separate annular on said coupling andextending from the main" chamber, through the restricted opening and into the pumping chamber.

- NOAH L. ALISON. 

